Save The Best For Last
by CloudyGumdrops
Summary: The 'Miss Castaway' contest serves as a catalyst for the admittance of feelings.
1. Chapter 1

The results of the Miss Castaway contest were in. Ginger had been declared the winner.

Ginger of course was absolutely thrilled.  
Sauntering up to Gilligan, she threw her arms around his neck and assaulted him with a kiss.

"Ginger," he whined attempting to escape her grasp.

"I just wanted to thank you properly" the red-head said before slinking away to celebrate her victory.

The Skipper enveloped her in a hug all the while boasting about how he knew she couldn't possibly lose.

Lovey took it in stride. She didn't have any expectations that she would win over either of the younger women. They had both beauty and youth on their sides. Though she was a little surprised that Gilligan gave the deciding vote to Ginger. She had been sure that if it came down to it, Mary Ann would be his choice. Try as she might, she can never figure that boy out.

Mary Ann, meanwhile, was trying to keep a good-natured smile on her face. Deep down she knew that she wasn't going to win, but she had still hoped. Hearing Gilligan announce Ginger as the winner hurt her more than she could've ever imagined.  
_I'm being ridiculous_, the farm girl thought to herself. _It's just a silly contest that doesn't mean anything. So why do I feel like I've just been punched in the gut? Why did he choose her over me? Aren't we close?_

Ginger s laughter broker her out of her thoughts.

Mary Ann plastered what she hoped was a believable smile on her face and walked over to give the winner a congratulations.

Walking across the stage to her friend, the brunette tried to steel her resolve.

"Congratulations Ginger, I'm very happy for you" Mary Ann says with a smile.

"That's so sweet of you," Ginger tells her and pulls her in for a hug. "To be honest, I'm kind of surprised I won."  
"Why?"  
"I thought for sure that Gilligan would vote for you."

Ginger felt bad when she saw the pained look that briefly flashed in the farm girl's eyes. She had long suspected that Mary Ann's feelings for the sailor were far from just friendly.

"It doesn't matter. You deserved it." Mary Ann said and walked away over to the Howells.

_Why did Gilligan choose me?_ Ginger thought to herself. She decided this was one question she needed an answer to.

"Gilligan?"

"Yeah, Ginger?"

"Why did you make me the winner?"

"What? Aren't you happy I chose you?" the baffled first mate asked.

"I'm extremely happy that you chose me. Still, I'm a little bit perplexed by it."

Seeing that she was only making his confusion worse, the red-head continued on, "I just would've thought that Mary Ann would be your choice. You two are close and I see the way that you look at her."

The look on his face told her that she had hit a nerve.

Gilligan was quiet for a long time. When he finally spoke, all that he said was, "I think she likes the Professor."

"I'm sure that isn't true," Ginger told him.

He shrugged and took off towards the lagoon.

The thought was now in her head and she really didn't like the way it made her feel. It's not true she keeps telling herself. Mary Ann likes Gilligan. I know it. Still, she was worried. The Professor had chosen Mary Ann as the most beautiful. What if he has fallen for her?


	2. Chapter 2

_Later that night..._

The Professor, feeling ashamed at the way he'd been acting during the duration of the pageant, decided to seek out Ginger. He had seen the movie star wander off earlier appearing to be deep in thought. He found her by the waterfall.

"Ginger?"

"Yes Professor?", the movie star questioned, smiling at the academic.

"I just wanted to congratulate you on your victory. I also wanted to apologize for my behavior these past few days. I've acted horribly and you didn't deserve to be a target when it was really the other men I was angry with".

"Thank you, and think nothing of it. I'm not angry with you. Although, I am a little disappointed that you chose to back Mary Ann over me. I didn't realize that you felt that way about her" Ginger said, lowering her eyes.

_Felt that way about her? Felt what way about her?_ What was Ginger getting at? Surely she didn't think that he was interested in Mary Ann in a romantic sense?

"Ginger, I think you're misinterpreting things. My interest in Mary Ann is purely platonic."

Ginger's eyes lit up at this. "Really?" she squealed.

"Yes, really," he replied. "I felt bad that nobody had spoken up for her. It was the only fair thing to do."

This pleased the red-head. After her little chat with Gilligan, Ginger had begun to fear that the pretty brunette had won the Professor over. On top of being a beautiful girl, Mary Ann had all of the qualities men tended to look for in a wife. She could cook and clean and it was obvious that she'd make a wonderful mother one day.

"I...Professor?"  
"Yes?"  
"If someone else had championed Mary Ann, what would you have done? I mean, would you have stayed silent? Or..."  
"In the interest of avoiding an argument, I might've refrained from choosing one of you, but if pressed, I'd have picked you Ginger."

The actress graced the Professor with a smile that could've lit up the Vegas strip.

"I was hoping you would say that," she told him.

"You're the most beautiful woman I've ever beheld," he said walking closer to her. "Sometimes, it's all I can do not to take you in my arms and ravish you."

"I wouldn't mind if you did," the green-eyed beauty admitted.

Sliding her hands up his well-built chest, Ginger purred out breathily, "Kiss me Professor Hinkley".

Seeing the look in her eyes and knowing he could deny her nothing, the Professor happily obliged.

After what felt like hours, though in reality was really only a minute or two, the man of science reluctantly broke the kiss citing the need for air.

Nothing was said as they stood there, wrapped in each other's arms, basking in the sweetness of the moment.

The silence ended when, almost simultaneously, an I love you was heard coming from each of them. Neither could stop themselves from breaking into laughter at the awkward admittance of their affections for one another.

"I've gotta say, of all of the ways I've fantasized that this moment could go, this really wasn't one them," Ginger told him, still giggling.

"You've thought about this before?"

"Well of course I have. You feature in all of my dreams darling."

Not able to help himself, the Professor pulled the flame haired temptress into a scorching kiss.

* * *

**I hope I got the Professor right. He's been the character I've been most nervous about trying to write.**


	3. Chapter 3

Making her way back to the huts, Ginger felt like she was walking on air. Finally, she was with the man of her dreams. She and the Professor both agreed to keep their newfound relationship under wraps for at least a few days. They wanted a little time to be together, just the two of them. The others would find out soon enough. It wasn't easy to keep things a secret in their tight knit community.

Entering her hut, she found Mary Ann lying on her bed, staring straight ahead.

"Honey, what's wrong?" Ginger asked the brunette.

"Nothing, I'm fine," Mary Ann lied.

She pasted a big smile on her face and hoped her roommate wouldn't question further.

Ginger could see right through it, but let it go figuring Mary Ann would say something in time.

The Kansan couldn't get the first mate off of her mind. Gilligan was under no obligation to pick her no matter how much she wanted him to. She had felt so hopeful, seeing the way he looked up at her when she was on stage doing her routine. He hadn't looked at Mrs. Howell or Ginger that way. But, in the end, he had chosen Ginger. She was foolish to think she had a chance against a goddess like her. Turns out, even Gilligan couldn't resist the charms of the starlet.

"Mary Ann," Ginger said, interrupting her thoughts. "Yes."  
"How do you feel about the Professor?"

Ginger couldn't resist questioning Mary Ann on the subject. Roy loves her. He told her not an hour ago. It really shouldn't matter how the farm girl might've felt about him, but she needed to know. She needed to hear the words from Mary Ann, for her own peace of mind.

Knowing that Ginger has always had feelings for the Professor, Mary Ann answered as delicately as she could, "I think he's a very kind, intelligent person."

"That's all?" the redhead probed.

"Yes, Ginger. I wouldn't dream of going after your man." Mary Ann teased her friend.

"Good, you could never win that battle anyway." Ginger teased back. "And let's not even get into how much it would upset Gilligan."

The brunette's eyes brightened at this.

"What do you mean by that Ginger? Did he say something to you?" Mary Ann implored.

The actress couldn't help but smile at that. She couldn't believe she had ever doubted Mary Ann's feelings for the sweet sailor. It was so silly to ever have worried about it.

"Let's just say, I think you need to have a talk with him. And do it soon."

"I will. I'll talk to him tomorrow."

Mary Ann went to bed with a renewed hope coursing through her. Maybe Gilligan did like her afterall.

Ginger just wanted her friends to be happy and she knew that they would be as soon as they got down to admitting their feelings to each other. She sincerely hoped that Mary Ann would indeed talk to Gilligan in the coming day. The young sailor had gotten it in his head that Mary Ann was in love with the Professor. Where he'd gotten the idea she really didn't know, but she had faith that Mary Ann would be able to convince him out of it.


	4. Chapter 4

Mary Ann awoke with a smile on her face. This would be the day. She was going to talk to Gilligan and let him know how she felt. She could only pray that he returned those feelings. She felt optimistic that he would after what Ginger had told her the night before. Sure, her friend had been vague, but it was the way the that she had said it.

The Kansas girl was feeling a little giddy. Calm down she told herself. She didn't want to appear over eager to the point where everyone started questioning her.

Exiting her hut, she spotted the Skipper.

"Good morning Skipper," she called to the burly blonde.

"Good morning. You look happy today."

"I am. Is Gilligan up yet?" she asked expectantly.

The Skipper couldn't stop the smile from forming on his lips. Mary Ann wasn't exactly subtle where Gilligan was concerned. He just had to shake his head at how that boy remained so utterly oblivious. So many times he'd had the urge to knock some sense into him.

"He was just waking when I stepped out of the hut. He should be out soon," the captain informed the young woman.

"Great. I'll just get started on breakfast then."

As soon as she had left, the sailor came strolling out of his hut. The Skipper couldn't help teasing his first mate about how a certain brunette was looking forward to seeing him. Gilligan brushed past his captain, but not before the big man caught the glint of happiness that sparked in the boy's eyes.

Gilligan's thoughts were racing. _Mary Ann was excited to see him! But, what about the Professor?_

Before long, Ginger and the Howells appeared. The sailors and the Howells sat down at the communal table while Ginger went off to check if Mary Ann needed any help.

A few minutes later, the girls appeared carrying platters filled with duck eggs and bread fruit rolls.

Mary Ann threw a great big smile towards Gilligan's direction. He was just about to return it when the Professor walked up behind him and gave a hello to everyone. The first mate's face fell and he turned away when he realized that it had probably been the Professor that Mary Ann was smiling at.

This wiped the grin right off of the farm girl's face. Had she done something wrong? _Why wasn't he happy to see her?_

* * *

Halfway through washing the dishes, Ginger questioned Mary Ann about why she had been so quiet at breakfast.

"I just didn't feel much like talking," was Mary Ann's reply.  
"Yeah, neither did Gilligan oddly enough."

Mary Ann stiffened slightly at the mention of Gilligan's name. This didn't escape Ginger's notice.

"You're still going to talk to him today aren't you?" Ginger asked.  
"I don't know if I should. I think he might be angry with me."  
"What would make you think that?"

Mary Ann relayed to Ginger about how at breakfast, when she smiled at Gilligan, he frowned and looked away from her. Ginger hadn't seen this. She had been distracted by the Professor appearing.

"All the more reason to speak with him. You know how he can be. He's not likely to just tell you what's wrong on his own. You'll have to pull it out of him," the red-head counseled.

"I guess you're right," agreed the brunette. She knew how stubborn and moody the sailor could be.

She was going to do this no matter what. Keeping her feelings bottled up was starting to get to her. She needed to let them out. Even if it turned out that he only thought of her as a friend, he had to be told. She couldn't just keep wondering. If they were to get rescued tomorrow without her ever having told him that she loved him, she knew she'd regret it for the rest of her life.

* * *

After breakfast had ended, Gilligan had hurried off to start on his chores. The Skipper was worried about his little buddy. Gilligan was never that quiet unless he was sick. He thought about going after the boy, but was stopped by Mrs. Howell inquiring about him building her a new wardrobe.

Gilligan wasn't so much working, as he was sulking. He had been thinking about Mary Ann again. Mary Ann and the Professor. _What was so great about the Professor anyway? Sure, the man was handsome and he knew everything. But could he sail a ship? He couldn't even fix one!_

"Gilligan" the broody sailor jumped when he heard his name.

Turning, he saw that it was Mary Ann who had called his name.

"Did you need something Mary Ann?" he asked her.

"I just wanted to talk to you," she replied inching closer.

"Okay, what about?"

Before Mary Ann could even start, the Skipper came barrelling into view. He told Gilligan to start gathering up some bamboo for the new wardrobe that they'd be making Mrs. Howell.

Mary Ann could only sigh and lament about the Skipper's 'wonderful timing'.

"We'll talk later, okay?" Gilligan told her before running off to get started on his task.

* * *

Once he'd gathered enough bamboo, the young sailor wandered back to camp to find Mary Ann. He was eager to hear what she had to say to him.

* * *

To pass the time, Mary Ann had busied herself with cleaning up the huts. It really didn't take very long since she had just tidied up a few days ago.

As soon as she was finished, the Professor came upon her, requesting her assistance.

"Doesn't Ginger usually help you with your experiments?" the farm girl asked the scientist.  
"Yes, usually, but she's busy at the moment."

She agreed to help him. Why not? She wasn't doing anything else at the moment.

Gilligan arrived back at camp just in time to see Mary Ann entering the supply hut with the Professor. With a pout darkening his face he whipped around and ran straight into Ginger.

Ginger was sent sprawling, the flowers she had gathered flung all along the ground.

"Gilligan!" the actress shrieked. "Why don't you ever watch where you're going?"

"I'm sorry Ginger," he muttered as he helped her up.

"It's alright," she soothed upon seeing the look on his face.

Ginger asked him what had upset him so much. She couldn't get a straight answer, just some gibberish about Mary Ann and the Professor and she thought she heard something about the supply hut. A part of her wanted to press him further and get him to make some sense, but she decided to just let him go. As much as she'd grown to love the young sailor, she didn't feel like having to deal with the headache he'd inevitably cause her.

The starlet headed off to the supply hut to see what exactly had caused the first mate's distress.

Knocking on the door, she stepped in without waiting for a reply.

"Oh, hi Ginger," Mary Ann said brightly.

"Hello Mary Ann," she greeted her friend. "Professor..."

Mary Ann saw the look that passed between the two.

"So, what's going on here?" Ginger asked.

"Mary Ann was just helping me out with this new lotion I'm making." the Professor explained.

"Yeah, he had to settle for my help when he couldn't find you," the Kansan stated, with a twinkle in her eye.

Ginger swatted at her friend, mumbling "oh hush" at her.

"Now that you've got your assistant back, I think I will just get on out of here," Mary Ann told the Professor.

"I appreciate the help you've given me today Mary Ann." the Professor called to her, not even trying to hide that he'd been staring at Ginger.

Mary Ann paused at the door to ask Ginger if she'd seen Gilligan around. Ginger told her that she had seen Gilligan heading off towards the mango grove.

The brunette expressed her thanks and headed off to find her blue-eyed sweetie.

* * *

Once Mary Ann was gone, the Professor secured the door and pulled Ginger into a lingering kiss.

"Roy," Ginger hummed. When he didn't reply, she looked up into his eyes. "I like the sound of my name on your lips," he murmured before kissing her again.

"I think we should tell everyone about us," Ginger told her beau. "Already? It hasn't even been a day yet." "I know, but Gilligan..."  
"Gilligan? What about Gilligan?"  
"He seems to have convinced himself that you and Mary Ann are something of an item."

The Professor was stunned at this revelation. He and Mary Ann? Together? Where could Gilligan ever have gotten a crazy idea like that? Mary Ann was a lovely girl and very sweet, but he just couldn't picture her in that manner.

"I think he's been a little jealous of all of the time you two have been spending together because of the pageant. It's why he chose me as the winner."

"He actually told you that?" the academic questioned.

"Not in so many words, but I could guess that that was the reason from what he did say."

Truth be known, it was really all just a lot of conjecture on Ginger's part, but if there was one thing she prided herself on, it was her ability to read men.

The man of science pondered for a few minutes. Once Gilligan got something in his head, it was hard to change his mind. He was going to have to set the record straight and quickly, before all kinds of misinformation started running rampant among the castaways.

"I'll take him aside later and have a word with him."

Ginger gave him a nod, and he spied a mischievous sparkle in her eye.

Brushing her fingertips over his bicep, she eyed him like a hungry lion. Stopping in front of him, she circled her arms around his middle and pressed her lips to his.

The Professor needed no further indication as to what his sultry siren wanted. Backing her up against the table, he joined their lips together once more...


	5. Chapter 5

Mary Ann left the supply hut and headed towards the mango grove. She heard someone calling her name, but decided to ignore them. She would apologize to whoever it was later. There was something important she needed to do and she had been prevented from doing it once today already.

Coming upon the grove, the farm girl halted her step when she saw Gilligan with one of his little monkey friends. The monkey climbed into the sailor's lap and grabbed the hat off of the young man's head. Gilligan just smiled at the little monkey and started talking to it.

She loved seeing Gilligan interacting with his animals; so gentle and nurturing. He was going to make a wonderful father one day.

Enough stalling, she thought to herself and started walking towards Gilligan once again.

The capuchin chittered to the man in the red shirt, as if Gilligan could understand him. Mary Ann didn't doubt that somehow, he could.

"I love her," the sailor muttered softly, scratching behind his little pal's ears.

"I want to tell her, but I'm scared. I think she loves the Professor."

This stopped Mary Ann right in her tracks. _I think she loves the Professor? Then, that would mean...Ginger._ _So, that's why he picked her as the winner._ Feeling her heart breaking, she turned to leave, when Gilligan started speaking again.

"He did choose her as the most beautiful. I should have been the one to do it, but I didn't have the courage in front of everyone," Gilligan stated, forlornly.

_But, I was the one the Professor chose..._  
The Kansas beauty tried to stop herself from letting out a gleeful squeal, but she didn't quite succeed.

Whirling around at the ear piercing noise, the first mate's eyes grew as wide as saucers.

"M-m-m-mary Ann," he stuttered out. "H-how long have you been there?"

"Long enough to hear you say that you love me." she said, beaming at him. "You did mean it, didn't you?"

The urge to run was strong, but upon seeing the hopeful look on the brunette's face, the sailor stayed put.

"I did, I meant it," he confirmed, scratching his neck.

Gilligan was afraid to look at Mary Ann.

Mary Ann was weighing her options on how to proceed when she thought she heard the Skipper's voice.

_Oh no,_ she thought. _Not this time._

Marching up to Gilligan, she grabbed him by the collar, and pressed her lips to his. The kiss was dizzying.

When she finally let go, Gilligan staggered back a little, a dopey smile stretched across those now well-kissed lips. Knowing she could provoke that kind of reaction out of him pleased the farm girl.

Giving him another quick peck on the lips, she looked straight into his eyes and told him that she loved him. The kiss should have been enough to clue him in, but this was Gilligan afterall.

"But...I thought...the Professor..."

Cupping his face in her hands, she placed yet another soft kiss on his mouth to silence him.

"The Professor is nothing more than a friend to me, so get any silly ideas that I might have deeper feelings for him out of that adorable head of yours," the doe-eyed lovely insisted, snuggling into him. "It's you that I want. It's always only been you."

This was enough for Gilligan. He knew she wouldn't lie to him, esp. about something so important.

Mary Ann tilted her face up towards Gilligan, hoping that he'd take the hint and give her a kiss. She closed her eyes and waited. No sooner had she felt his lips brush against hers when the Skipper noisily shuffled into the clearing.

Yet again, she cursed the blonde man's fantastic timing. At least this time she had been able to tell Gilligan how she felt before the Skipper could interrupt.

"Well now, what do we have here?" the old seafarer crooned with noticeable delight, causing his first mate to blush.

Mary Ann was about to tell the Skipper all about it when Gilligan took her by the hand, laced his fingers through hers and informed the captain that he and Mary Ann were in love. Looking up at him, she felt her heart swell at the look of pure adoration shining in his eyes for her.

The Skipper was genuinely happy for the two. It had taken some time, but they'd finally gotten together. At the rate Gilligan was going, he was beginning to think it would never happen, but the farm girl's persistence paid off.

Forgetting why he had even come looking for Gilligan, the Skipper decided to leave and give the young couple a little time to themselves.

"Gilligan?"  
"Yeah Mary Ann?"  
"Um, well, just..."

"What is it Mary Ann?" Gilligan asked, gently brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"Why did you vote for Ginger?" Mary Ann asked, shyly.

"Because Ginger loves the Professor."

Gilligan laughed at the bewildered look that his answer caused to appear on Mary Ann's pretty face.

"You know how I thought that you and the Professor were...," he trailed off not even able to finish the sentence.

"Yes, and I still can't believe that the thought ever crossed your mind. Anyway, continue please." Mary Ann prompted him.

"Okay, well, I thought that if I could see it, then she must too, being an expert in these kinds of things. When she found out that the Professor didn't love her back, she'd be really sad" he explained. "I thought picking her as the winner would give her something to be happy about."

Mary Ann hadn't thought it possible for Gilligan to get any sweeter or more caring than he already was, but he always managed to surprise her.

Hugging him, Mary Ann sighed out, "You're so wonderful. I hope you know that".

* * *

_Back at camp..._

After a time, Ginger and the Professor exited from the supply hut, eyes shining.

The Professor quickly collected himself. He was intent on finding Gilligan and setting him straight about his feelings, or lack thereof, for Mary Ann.

As he was about to go looking for his young friend, he spotted the man in question emerging from the jungle, one arm draped across the shoulders of everyone's favorite Kansas farm girl.

Seeing this, the scientist let out a sigh of relief. He really hadn't been looking forward to having a talk of that nature with Gilligan. Now, it appeared, he wouldn't have to. Hopefully.

Spotting the duo, Ginger clapped her hands excitedly and scampered towards them.

"Tell me this is what I think it is," Ginger shrieked at the pair.

Mary Ann confirmed to Ginger that she and Gilligan were together now. The tall red-head pulled her best friend into a hug and told her how happy she was for them.

Ginger, not wanting to take up any more of their time, took her leave.

The starlet sauntered on back to the Professor and suggested that they resume their previous activities. He made no complaints as he followed her back into the lab.

* * *

_Girl's Hut: Bedtime_

It had been a long day, but Mary Ann couldn't get to sleep. She was too happy and too in love.

"Mary Ann, are you awake?" Ginger called out into the darkness.

"Yeah, Ginger, I just can't get to sleep"

"Good, because I wanted to tell you that Roy and I are together."

"That's wonderful Ginger." Mary Ann told her friend. "It's about time too."

"I could say the same about you and Gilligan," the actress shot back, good-naturedly.

The two women shared a laugh and chatted a while longer before saying their good nights.

They'd both finally won over the men of their dreams and couldn't be happier.

_Fin_

* * *

Sorry if the end seems a bit abrupt, but I had been tweaking and tweaking things until I told myself, alright time to end this before I screw things all to hell, lol.

My apologies to Mr. Howell whom I completely omitted from the story. I love him, but, he just wasn't necessary.

It might've ended a little cheesily, but I'm a big ol sap when it comes down to it, so yeah. Hope you enjoyed the story. And, the next time I attempt a multi-chapter ficcie, I'll try to have a little patience and spread things out more.


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